After the Light (FFXV)

Chapter 17

         Gladio opened his eyes, and though his vision was blurred, he could tell he was on a campsite. The silhouette of a large man stood in line with the fireplace, near the edge of the haven. Gladio jumped up out of his chair and rubbed his eyes. With tears streaming down his face, his vision cleared.
"You're awake." Clarus said, turning to face him.
"...Dad?" Gladio's voice was broken.
The last time he saw his father was before Insomnia fell. Clarus was the shield of King Regis; a fact that Gladio stood behind to make the acceptance of his death a little easier. Standing there, not in his uniform, but in casual clothing, Gladio saw only his father, not a shield. He'd put on a brave face for eleven years, focused on and got lost in his work, but in that moment, his guard had completely broken down.
Clarus approached his son and hugged him. Gladio held on tight, burying his face in his father's shoulder. Clarus closed his glossy eyes, allowing his tears to fall. He didn't regret his silence towards Insomnia's fate. That decision kept his children alive. Forcing Iris to leave early, would've raised a red flag, and she would've asked questions. He knew Dustin, Monica, and Jared would keep her safe.
He pulled away, leaving his hands on Gladio's shoulders. "We don't have much time, Gladio."
"Where are we?" Gladio asked, wiping his eyes. "Am I-?"
"Not completely. You still have a chance to go back, and you need to take it." Clarus turned, placing his hand on Gladio's back, and guided him to the edge of the haven.
"Did you have a chance? Why do I have to go?" For the very first time, Gladio wanted to give up.
"I didn't. And you know why. The King needs you. Your sister needs you. I know everything seems bad now, but it's going to get worse. Consider this another trial to increase your strength." Clarus gestured for Gladio to look down.
The starry night sky reflected beautifully against the clear water down below. The water was tinted in a bright red; caused by what appeared to be the reflection of a very bright star. Gladio looked up to the sky. He saw the star, but it wasn't red, so he looked back at the water.
"You're a better shield, a stronger shield than I could've ever hoped to be. Words will never be enough to describe how proud you've made me." Clarus smiled warmly.
"Dad-" Gladio began.
"Uh-uh." Clarus patted his back. "I don't want to see you here again for a very long time, Gladiolus. Now go. You're not going to let some fish take you down, are you?"
Gladio chuckled. "...Of course not... Goodbye, dad."
"Take care, Gladio. And your sister-"
"Don't worry about her. She's not coming here anytime soon. Definitely not before my stay here becomes permanent." Gladio hugged his father again. He took a deep breath before diving down into the water.
He swam towards the red light, which soon revealed itself to be a crystal. It fit perfectly in the palm of his left hand, and started to glow brighter as it merged with his skin. Gladio shielded his eyes from the bright red light.

Gladio coughed up a ton of water, and not long after, he opened his eyes. Noctis let out a heavy sigh of relief, and a hysterical Iris lunged forward and wrapped her arms around her brother. Gladio put one arm around her, and then looked at his left hand.
Noctis took his hand, while shedding his own tears. "You're alive."
Gladio looked at Noctis, shifted his eyes to Iris, and then chuckled. "Guess I am. Thanks."
"You guess?!" Iris cried angrily as she sat up. "You tricked me! You left me behind!"
Gladio sat up, thinking about his father's words. He lifted Iris' chin and wiped her tears away. "I would rather die believing you were alive, than to let you die with me, knowing I didn't do a damn thing to save you. You can do whatever you want, but there are two things I won't let you do. You can't die before me, and you definitely can't die trying to save me."
   She pouted and glared at him. She understood, but didn't think it was fair. She would never just let him die. Gladio held his sister again and kissed the top of her head while she continued to cry softly.
        "Oh come on. You've got thicker skin than this." He said.
         She sniffled. "Shut up, Gladdy."